Social media has of course been around for a while and has an unprecedented dominant presence on the internet. More and more companies see the benefits of it and see it as an additional opportunity to engage with customers.
But is it really necessary to participate in everything?
Especially for sole traders and SMEs, it is a hopeless task to participate in all popular social media platforms. As a rule of thumb, you can say: do it right, or don't do it at all. In addition, it is a good idea to wait and see. Will that new network really be as big as its creators say?
Besides; at the bottom line, of course, it has to yield something.
Actively used social media pages also contribute to a better findability. Google also likes to see that you are active on various networks. Which can have a positive effect on your rank in Google.
Facebook has more than a billion users and is the largest social media channel. So chances are you are already using it.
Facebook is therefore really a must for business owners. Participating can be done through a dedicated business page that you can create or you can share posts via your own account.
Because of Facebook's size, you can be sure that your target audience is present.
LinkedIn is a platform for the business market. In fact, think of it as a replacement for the old-fashioned business card folder.
LinkedIn is more about maintaining and gaining business relationships than tapping into private customers. The platform works with networking circles and the more "connections" the bigger your business network is. Here, too, you can create a business page just like Facebook.
Twitter is a microblog. In 140 characters, you can post messages (tweets) that can be seen by people who follow you or search for a word that appears in the message. In turn, these followers can share this message by retweeting.
Twitter can be described as fast, hyper and, above all, anonymous. It is especially interesting for getting the latest news and for updates on major events. A big fire? Chances are you will find the first pictures on Twitter.
Twitter is a very direct medium and lends itself well to things like webcare. Again, it is important that this account is then actively used. Twitter is more popular among young people than Facebook.
Youtube
Youtube is the largest video provider on the internet. It has been part of Google since 2006.
If you have many videos on your website, it is better to offer them on your website via YouTube, because of bandwidth issues.
Youtube is also interesting for review videos, tutorials or service videos. You can set up your own channel to post all your videos. Without big investments, you can post professional videos.
Google+
Google Plus is a social media network that you automatically get when creating a Gmail or YouTube account. Unfortunately, there is not really much life in this platform.
Still, it is important to create a well-appointed page for your business here.
The opportunities should mainly be sought in the area of search engine optimisation (SEO). The more Google products you use, the more interesting Google finds and makes you.
Pinterest works like a pinboard. You can use "pins" to hang images on a "mood board" you have created. You can do this by pressing "Pin-it" on any website.
You can decide what these boards are themed around. For you as a company, this is generally not a medium to bet full on.
Instagram is a free mobile app for editing and sharing photos and videos. Instagram is now part of Facebook. The end results are very reminiscent of the old Polaroid photos. Instagram is mainly used by the larger companies like Ben & Jerry's to showcase new flavours or Mercedes to promote a new type.
Yammer
Yammer is actually more for large companies and is a kind of corporate Facebook. Companies like Shell, DHL and Capgemini use Yammer.
Everyone can see what everyone is working on within the company and it strengthens the mutual bond within a company.
Yammer is free for small businesses to use
Snapchat
At SnapChat your messages disappear after 10 seconds. For businesses, there is also SnapChat Stories. These stories then remain available for 24 hours. For most businesses, this is not a suitable medium to promote your businesses.
With all social media platforms, success is in your own hands. Like everywhere else on the internet, sky is the limit.